The invention relates to a locking mechanism for a housing with a lid, particularly a luggage compartment, having at least two locks, each of which is connected via a transmission element to a push button.
The invention additionally relates to a lock for such a locking mechanism with a locking bolt device, carrying both locking bolts, with a catch having two locking hooks pivotal about a pivoting axis for catching the locking bolts in order to lock the lock, with among the housing and lid elements one of them carrying the locking bolt device and the other one receiving or carrying the catch, and with a manually operated drive device to pivot away the locking hooks from the locking bolts to unlock the lock, with the drive device being embodied for a jointly pivoting of the locking hooks.
The primary function of such a lock when used in an aircraft is to safely lock and unlock the lid or the luggage bin or container of a luggage box in all flight conditions, including emergency landing conditions. The drive device inside the lock is connected via a mechanical connection member to a push button or an operating handle, which is arranged at the lid such that it can be operated from outside the luggage box. The operation of the button or handle leads in the lock of prior art to a rotary motion of the mechanical connection member, by which the lock is unlocked. Here, the lock is embodied such that any unintentional opening in the loaded or unloaded state of the luggage box is avoided. In aeronautical engineering it is required that the catch of the lock comprises a fail-safe function. A dual locking serves for this purpose. This dual locking occurs in the lock of prior art, on the one hand, by a locking bolt which is engaged by a locking hook and, on the other hand, by a locking pin, which in the opened lid of the luggage box projects from the catch, however upon closing the lid of the luggage box being pushed into the housing of the catch by the locking bolt device. Both the locking bolt as well as the locking pin are each capable of compensating the load required.
In the locking mechanisms of prior art for a luggage box it is problematic that two locks must be operated from the push button or operating handle mounted centrally at the lid, which are arranged at one and/or the other end of the lid, with the operating handle and the two shafts as well as the two catches required to be mounted on one axis. The operating handle performs a rotary motion, which is transferred via the shafts to the catches of the locks. In the catches the rotary motion is respectively transformed into a pivotal motion of the locking hook. Entirely independent therefrom, the locking bolt of each lock is brought into its locking position, when the lid is closed. The locking bolt device presses the locking bolt passing said device into the housing of the catch. In cases in which the locks and the pivotal handle cannot be mounted on a single axis, the lock of prior art cannot be used at all. Further, it is problematic that the construction of the shafts necessary for operating the known lock and their fastening to the lid leads to additional weight, increased costs for parts, and an increased assembly expense, all of which being extremely undesirable in aeronautical engineering. Finally, in the lock of prior art, the locking bolt device can be adjusted in two axes. The locking bolt simultaneously serves as the contact for an end stop. This is disadvantageous in that for each adjustment of the locking bolt device, the contact for the end stop is moved and must be readjusted. Additionally, the opening of the lock occurs by pulling the operating handle. However, due to the fact that no transmission is provided between the operating handle and the shaft, higher operating forces are required.
The objective of an earlier German patent application of the same applicant yet unpublished at the time of the filing date is a lock for a luggage box, mounted overhead, for a cabin of an aircraft and an operating and locking mechanism for the lock. This lock avoids the above-mentioned disadvantages and can particularly be used for a luggage box, even when the operating button or handle is not located on the axis of the catches.
When in case of a malfunction the locking occurs only via one locking hook exhibiting play in reference to its allocated locking bolt, the lid projects slightly from the luggage box when it is closed so that the malfunction is easily detected from the outside.
A locking mechanism is known from DE 200 17 674 U1. In this known locking mechanism for a not completely closed position of the locks of a luggage box, it indicate that the actuation element is maintained in the actuated position until all the locks of the luggage box are locked completely, but not in connection an actuating element that is formed as a push-button.
A lock is also generally known from WO 2008/086256 A1.